The economy in Colorado, and specifically along the Front Range, continues to grow strong as we climb out of the past recession period and pave the way for future job growth and prosperity.

As companies establish national headquarters here and the diverse economy supports entrepreneurial opportunities, our colorful state remains a very desirable location for outdoor enthusiasts, families and business-minded individuals to call home.

Denver Moves Into Top Five Ranking

Forbes recently released its 16th annual list of Best Places for Careers, highlighting Denver’s strong economy and desirable hot spot for both young employees and seasoned executives. Ranked No. 6 last year, Denver moved up into the top five best places in the country to live and work by ranking No. 4 in the 2014 rankings. With only Raleigh, N.C., Des Moines, Iowa, and Provo, Utah ranking higher than Denver in the Forbes’ list, people are flocking to the Mile High City from all over the country to not only advance their careers, but to also enjoy the Rocky Mountain active and thriving lifestyle.

Fort Collins Recognized in Top Five for Strong University Ties

Northern Colorado’s Fort Collins area shined bright on the Forbes’ top five list by moving into the No. 5 spot this year of best places to live and work. Recognized for Colorado State University’s research facilities, the city’s ties to one of Colorado’s biggest universities appeals to high-tech companies like Intel and Hewlett-Packard to run their headquarters in this Northern urban area. The city also was highlighted for its high level of high school graduates living in the city and its ninth best college graduation rate. Fort Collins is one of the state’s top gems when it comes to working at companies that offer exceptional career opportunities and living among the beautiful outdoors that makes Colorado a great place to call home.

Downtown Lifestyles Align with the Career-Minded

Denver and Fort Collins both offer a mix of downtown nightlife, amenities and living options that have great appeal to many young executives who want to live, work and play within the same geographical area. With vacancies low in both cities for established condos, lofts, townhomes and single-family homes – and relatively limited new builds in the works in desirable areas – finding a place to live in Downtown Denver or Fort Collins that meets the needs of executives and their families may prove to be challenging in today’s tight real estate market.

With refined designs, spacious floor plans, high-end amenities and easy access to Downtown Denver, Jefferson Park Place’s newly developed modern townhomes offer career-minded individuals with stylishly unique downtown living accommodations. Located near the popular LoHi, Riverfront Park, LoDo and Stadium District neighborhoods, Jefferson Park Place provides easy access to Downtown companies, hundreds of award-winning restaurants and clubs, as well as Denver’s beloved professional team stadiums. This amazingly new Denver development is currently taking reservations for 27 exclusive residences.

As the popularity of Fort Collins continues to grow too, opportunities for buying or renting a home can come and go quickly. Make sure that you have an experienced and knowledgeable Northern Colorado real estate agent to help guide you through a hot real estate market and make sure you don’t miss out on your next dream home.

If you’re moving into Denver or Northern Colorado for a new career or moving up in your current career, give the real estate experts at New Era Group a call:

Denver office can be reached at 303-991-9878

Fort Collins office can be reached at 970-412-1657

They can help you find the best new or existing developments close to your career that meets all of your personal and professional needs.

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Not everyone is going to be able to get out of town this summer. Don’t fret; there are local areas to cool off during the summer heat.

A World of Water

Believe it or not, Water World in Federal Heights is ranked as the biggest and best water park in the country. It’s also one of the oldest water parks. Opened in 1979, Water World’s 64 acre park has been a splash for several generations that include six-story tall speed slides, a half-pipe ride, a launched water coaster, bowl rides for the more adventurous and older kids (this means you too dad) to the more subdued Wally World entirely dedicated to smaller children. For those just wanting to knockabout in the water, there is a lazy river, wave pool and other leisure ways to stay cool without pouring in the adrenaline. Combine the fun with family rafting or some of the parks unique adventures like the River of the Pharaohs raft rides. There is plenty to find that will allow your family time together to burn some steam or simply cool off.

Arrrrrg Matey

If you are closer to Englewood and don’t want to sweat the drive north, set your course to Pirates Cove. Take it easy in the leisure pool or sleep away the heat in the lazy river while the kids splash it up in the large play structure. There is plenty of room to keep your booty cool if you just want to wallow in the 25-meter, 6-lane pool. But if you’re harkening for a more privateer-like adventure, walk the plank and shimmy down the 35-foot slide tower. And when the salt is depleting, fill your tankard with a Nipperkin and a have a Salmagundi at the galley in the Barnacle Cafe.

Front and Central

For the Denver city dweller, there’s always Elitch Gardens. After being flung in the hot summer air by The Brain Drain and the Boomerang, slide into the cool waterways on the Castaway Creek or keep the adrenaline streamlining with the 62-foot drop at the Sun Plunge, Paradise Pipeline or the drop from the Edge. 

Swim the waters closest to you or take sail to all three water parks this summer. Whatever you do, furl your sails, strike your colors and careen your family from the summer’s heat at one of three fantastic watering holes.

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So often we look back at the arts wondering, “If I only could’ve been part of that clique when Monet, Picasso or Ginsburg, Kerouac or Hemingway and Fitzgerald all hung out, before they were who they are.” Today in Colorado a band of writers are doing just that—a clique building literary history.

You might not know Nancy Stohlman, Leah Roper, Kona Morris, Bryan Jansing, Johnathan Montgomery or Rob Geisen, but one day, you might. This eclectic group of writer’s has been building a platform for the arts in literature for many years. They didn’t invent flash fiction, but they are creating it. Never heard of it? Maybe not, but you’ve read it; you just didn’t know it. Also known as sudden fiction, postcard fiction and micro fiction, flash fiction has been around since the beginning of literature. Not a vignette, but about the same length, flash fiction is different in that it has all the elements of a fiction story: plot, character, tension.

Where it all began

In 1986 two great writers, Robert Sharparo and James Tomas published a book called Sudden Fiction, American Short-Short Stories. Here were stories, all under 1,000 words with plot structure, characters and all the great things that make fiction, but all in a tight little package that packed a wallop. House on Mango Street by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros published in 1984 became the definitive flash fiction book.

Today, flash fiction still isn’t mainstream, but it’s not forgotten — on the contrary, it’s been blossoming here in Colorado. A small writer’s group started by Bryan Jansing called Write Club became the launching pad for the movement.

After graduating from the Naropa University’s MFA writer’s program, the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, started by Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman (she still teaches at Naropa) in 1974, Stohlman, Roper and Morris began a publication called Fast Forward. Fast Forward would be the first, all flash fiction journal. In 2010 Fast Forward’s The Mixed Tape was the finalist for the Colorado Literary Fiction Award—never before had a journal of flash fiction been recognized. A few years later, Stohlman went on to create the Fbomb readings.

A literary movement happening in our backyard

Each month, at the Mercury Café you can meet and even sign up to read amongst this group of greats at the Fbomb reading. August 13th Jansing will be hosting “The Return of the Spaghetti Western” featuring the great and local mystery writer Benjamin Whitmer. Find out what Flash Fiction is all about. Be a witness or throw in your hat by reading something of your own and become part of a great art movement happening here in Colorado. It’s your chance to truly become  part of a flash in literary history.

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Last year Denver alone opened 56 breweries with 20 or more still to come. With so many breweries opening, Mike Keranen has found his niche by way of his website, www.DenverBrewPubs.com. 

A website developer by trade, Mike’s owned Sixu for 14 years. While living in the Czech Republic in 2006, he developed a brew pub website in Prague, “I wanted to do that in Denver, but it just wasn’t viable then.”

But after the boon of breweries, things opened up...

“I looked for a good website for brewpubs in Colorado. There was one with 15 listed, another with 10, but not one had a good list. We thought a lot about how to make some money. But first we just wanted to get it up, get it out; let the search engines index it and let it build, which has proven to be a bit difficult because there are so many new pubs opening. It’s tremendous.” So they limited the site to Denver brewpubs and cities that touch Denver.

“Seeing the change in the industry here in Colorado has been great. When craft beer first got its footing there wasn’t a good variety. It was all super hoppy IPAs. The more hops the better, as far as brewers were concerned. I think Colorado has had time to mature with breweries forced to be more competitive, creative and come up with new stuff.”

Website Provides a Go-To-Guide for Brew Pubs

Each pub is described so that people can get a feel for it. Mike talks to the brewers, gives a unique description of the place. Six icons show whether they offer a full kitchen, because not all are just brew pubs with taprooms. Some are full restaurants like Yak and Yeti.

“Like Whit’s End Brewery off of Second and Federal, it has about 15 seats. It’s in a little commercial storage area, but then Dry Dock has a tasting room with 180 seats—two very different experiences. Rickoli Brewery on Wadsword brews out of a half-barrel keg. It’s unbelievable and amazing that he brews a consistent beer on this tiny system. But he does it and that’s a different experience as well.”

Icons indicate whether they have a patio, live music, offer free WIFI, their website, phone number, a brief list of their beers they have all year round and specialty beers offered for short runs. “I try to take some pictures of the inside and out and their logo so people can recognize them.”

The List Keeps Growing!

Mike continues to make as much of an exhaustive list as possible. There are still some 20 or so to be added to the 45 now listed, leaving out some of the big ones like Sandlot. “Sandlot’s a brewery and I want to put it on the website, but it’s low on the priority list because I would rather get these small ones that are popping up on the list.”

Brewers seem to be very excited about Denver Brew Pubs and they want to help. “I think more than anything that’s what I’ve liked about this.”

So if you’re thirsting for some of that Colorado gold and aren’t sure what’s closest or what you’re looking for, start with a quick search on www.DenverBrewPubs.com. 

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From challenging mountain courses in the Rockies to lush rolling greens in the city, Colorado is home to some of the best golf courses in the country. To help motivate you to dust off your drivers and polish up your irons so you’re ready for some great golfing this season, Golf Digest, has released its list of Best Golf Courses in the State. Use this guide to keep your swing in motion whether you’re looking for birdies in the city or shooting for eagles in Colorado’s mountain country.

Hit Your Ball a Mile High at the Best Courses in the City

The Denver metro area is home to many top-end golf courses that let local golfers stay polished on their game. Whether you’re looking to sneak out of work a little early on a Friday afternoon for a round of golf or you want to spend your weekends at some of the best golf courses in the city, Golf Digest listed the following Front Range golf courses in its Top 20 Best In State rankings:

• Castle Pines Golf Course in Castle Rock

• Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village

• Colorado Golf Course in Parker

• The Broadmoor Golf Course (East) in Colorado Springs

• Denver Country Club in Denver

• The Club at Pradera in Parker

• The Golf Course at Ravenna in Littleton

Elevate Your Game at the Best Rocky Mountain Golf Courses in the State

For golfers who are looking to drive their balls at altitude while breathing in fresh Rocky Mountain air, Colorado is home to some of the best mountain golf courses with outstanding views. The pristine mountain area courses that made Golf Digest’s Top 20 Best In State rankings include:

• Ballyneal G. & Hunt Club in Holyoke

• Sanctuary in Sedalia

• Cornerstone in Montrose

• Red Sky Ranch & Golf Course (Norman) in Wolcott

• Country Club of the Rockies in Edwards

• Maroon Creek Club in Aspen

• The Club at Cordillera (Valley) in Cordillera

• Catamount Ranch & Club in Steamboat Springs

• Roaring Fork Club in Basalt

• Aspen Glen Club in Carbondale

• The Golf Course at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction

• Red Sky Ranch & Golf Course (Fazio) in Wolcott

• Adam's Mountain Country Club in Eagle County

Experience the Golfer’s Lifestyle in a Golf Community Neighborhood 

With so many golf courses to choose throughout the Front Range and into the Rocky Mountains, Colorado offers some of the best greens in the country. Living in a golf lover’s paradise means moving into a golf community neighborhood where you’ll have exclusive access to your favorite Mile High City course. The Denver metro area offers many golf course neighborhoods with some of the best homes, views and amenities that are tailored to the golfer’s lifestyle. If you’re ready to elevate your game and your golfing lifestyle, give the Denver real estate experts at New Era Group a call today. They can help you find the best home in your favorite golf community that fits your active, outdoor lifestyle.

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The idea of self-sustainably grown foods is really catching on in Denver and there are some great stories that are emerging from this movement. “The sustainable agricultural community is so small that they work together,” says food pioneer and ex-chef Doug Stuart. “A majority of people have gone to manufacturing marijuana. But ultimately it’s about moving forward for the greater good of everybody. But, it’s not easy.”

Teamwork is Making it Happen in Denver

Doug traveled Europe to learn to cook and he even cooked in Antarctica for a season. He’s been in the restaurant business since he was 14 years old working at the Sushi Den for 8 years and opening Sushi Hapa in Cherry Creek.

“The best foods come from the best ingredients using the right ingredients to make phenomenal food in little time.” That’s why his company Freshtable Gardens started by catering to restaurants such as The Source, Table Six, and Beast and Bottle, to name a few. He’s giving local chefs a resource to eat locally grown food ten minutes from the metro area.

Courtney Pierce’s background is in business. His asset to the Freshtable Gardens is his marketing and business. Along with Kara Dishman, who studied botany and environmental biology, the trio saw a huge need for fresh food in the city and education of the youth on where their food comes from.

With Courtney’s business sense, Doug’s chef background and Kara’s education, their combined desire for fresh food formed the idea to do something different, to create an impact doing something they loved while doing something of quality for the planet with the potential to make money. “There’s not a lot of money in agriculture,” says Kara. “It’s about finding the balance in a niche market and getting away from GMOs and Monsanto by bringing back the original seed stocks.”

For Courtney, the challenge was less ideological and more practical; it was about how to make money while still doing something for the community, for Colorado and for the land. A start was the idea of cleaning up industrial spaces by recycling and turning industrial land back into something good for the next generation.

Bring Freshtable Gardens to Your Kitchen

The first year was spent learning, figuring out seed densities of micro-greens as well as all sorts of temperature issues. “We opted for micro-greens because of the low electrical cost and the fast, ten days to three week turnover,” Doug says. Tropical fruits, root vegetables and avocados are too challenging.

Working toward full self-sustainability, they soon bought solar panels from the out-of-business solar company, Solyndra. The tubular panels melt snow adding to a 400 gallon reservoir. Besides the water collection, they found a deep rock well that they plan to tap soon. By adding an aquaponic system they become closer to their end goal of 5 years, 100 percent off the grid.

“We can grow all year round,” explains Dough. “In the summer we move some of the planting outdoors. We are in the process of building a greenhouse for the winter. The balance is tough. You get freezes in May and September causing short seasons in Colorado, but the wonderful thing about Denver is they highly encourage people to grow food.”

“You cannot get zoned for agriculture in the city and county of Denver,” Courtney says. “They don’t offer it. But the legislative branch and councilman are looking for the loop holes to keep them going and are promoting fresh gardens.”  And tapping into that energy is the biggest resource they have right now.

You can bring Freshtable Gardens to your kitchen. Their farmer’s market opens from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm at 4800 Washington St., Unit X. Call: 720.479.8758. “If there’s a lot of interest, we will go until dark.”

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Colfax is a tale of two avenues—east and west, that begins with the establishment of the city of Denver in 1850. The United States was still reeling from the Civil War. For many, heading west was a way to start over after a devastating war. During the silver boom, Colfax was the main artery from the east into mines located in the mountains.

The Golden Road of Denver

As miners filled the young streets of Denver, the main throughway to the west known as the Golden Road became, figuratively speaking, paved in silver. Shops, merchants and law firms lined what was then called Grand Avenue. East Grand Avenue quickly became the playground of the rich. Mansions popped up everywhere. This, in part, was enhanced in 1867 when the capital was moved from Golden to Denver. East Grand Avenue was the in-place to live.

Grand Avenue would soon be renamed Colfax Avenue in honor of the Senator Schuyler Colfax from Indiana who later became Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Vice President of the United States under Ulysses S. Grant.

For West Colfax, the story was very different. While East Colfax became the home for the posh, West Colfax was anything but. Known as “No Man’s Land” and “Jim’s Town”, the west side of Colfax was desolate. The Ute Indians used the west route to access trade in the commercial hub of Denver and the miners used it to trek into the mountains to gain their riches.

But the timing wasn’t good. The 1870s would prove to be a very difficult time in the world. As the railroads expanded, many banks and investors railed their money into the iron buffalo. But the country as a whole had placed their eggs into one basket. What was known then as the Great Depression hit the world’s economy hard and in particular, it hit the US’s heavily invested market of the railroads. Banks were in debt, loans defaulted, and companies became worthless.

By the 1890s West Colfax was lined with modest homes for factory workers and laborers. With the influx of immigrants the nation began to work its way back from the great depression. As the East became the gem of the Queen City of the West, the west side became its home for her laborers. The west became, once again, filled with traffic as the flow of wagons and peddlers made their way to Denver from the agricultural communities of Morrison and Golden. Growth spurred both sides.

As traffic flooded the West, East Colfax became a tree-lined wonder for the rich as the city tried to make it, “the finest, grandest residential avenue between St. Louis and San Francisco.” East Colfax came to be known as Denver’s premier residential avenue.

Denver Neighborhoods Shaped by History

Then the Silver crash of 1893 would reshape both sides of Colfax in the way we recognize it today. Hit hard, the mansions and the construction boom of the east stymied. Mansions became abandoned, and quickly became dilapidated. As residents tried to cope with the devastation, they took on different roles. The commercial core of the city would arise in the East pushing the residential areas into Capitol Hill, Curtis Park, Highlands, each splintering off into different developments seeded during the great economic years.

As Colfax and the nation limped along, World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s and soon after, World War II would play out and continue to define the now, well set and established neighborhoods of East and West Colfax.

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Colorado residents are known for loving the outdoors. But, when you live in a downtown Denver neighborhood you might be more accustomed to seeing black rooftops and parking lots outside your window, rather than nature’s colorful backdrop. Green Roofs of Colorado can help you green up your urban area with lush vegetation and colorful Colorado flowers by turning your roof or deck space into a visually pleasing and environmentally friendly green space.

Live Among the Beauty of the Colorado Outdoors

The green roof concept was built from European technology that has been used worldwide greening up elevated outdoor areas for decades. Over the past seven years, Green Roofs of Colorado owner Andy Creath has adapted the green roof technology to thrive in Colorado’s unique climate and elevation. With installations from Boulder to the Highlands and downtown Denver, Green Roofs of Colorado has beautified hundreds of residential and commercial properties along the Front Range and throughout Colorado’s mountain communities.

“Green Roofs of Colorado’s main goal is to get more green spaces and infrastructure into the city, whether it’s for urban agriculture, condo dwellers, warehouse spaces or just a small outside deck,” explains Creath. “We like to use a lot of native Colorado plants and seasonal grasses that are green over the course of most of the spring, summer and fall seasons. When they go dormant during the winter, we leave the grasses long so you have some type of visual interest of architectural display throughout the year to enjoy.”

The majority of the roofs that Green Roof of Colorado design and install on are flat surfaces such as garages and deck spaces. But, the company can literally build green roofs on most types of structures – even domes and a-frame roofs. Before installing a green roof, though, it’s important to assess whether your roof is structurally viable to hold the additional weight of soil and water that is needed for planting vegetation. If your roof or deck area can’t withstand the additional weight, you also can choose to use planter boxes or raised beds to accommodate your roof or deck space. When considering the price of a green roof, Creath says that a basic version with limited bio-diversity and only a few different plant species will start at $13-$15 per square foot. As you add more detailed elements and plants, you can move into the $50-$60 square foot price range.

From Rooftop to Tabletop

As garden season approaches, you may think you’re limited by the space in your backyard or deck planters to grow a delicious vegetable or fruit garden. But, think again. You can turn your green thumb into a green roof to feed your family and the environment.

“As urban food trends continue to grow in the Denver area, more and more people are starting to grow food on their rooftops,” explains Creath.

Just as every home, condo or building has its own design elements and structural personalities, every green roof that Creath installs is unique to each owner’s needs and wishes. Owners have the option of planting mature plants, herbs or grasses that will create a full-blown garden right away. Or, they can choose to start with more traditional gardening seedlings, which will take more time for the green space to bloom, but it can be a more cost-effective approach. Either way, a green roof will not only dress up the outside of your home, but it also can function as a vegetable and herb producing area for your family to enjoy at the dinner table.

Green Spaces Escalate Property Values, Decrease Urban Heat Effect

The more dense and built up a city is, the more heat gets trapped in the concrete buildings, causing temperatures in cities to climb higher than in outlaying suburban areas. To help combat this urban heat island effect, cities are adding vegetation elements and cooling principles into the city by not only bringing in green roofs, but building parks and planting trees as well. Adding these types of green space elements can actually help to naturally cool down a city, thereby reducing the money and resources needed for air conditioning and other cooling techniques. For instance, research has shown that homeowners can save approximately 5-10 percent in heating costs in the space directly below the green roof in the winter and approximately 25 percent in cooling costs during the summer, says Creath

But, the value of incorporating green spaces into city areas goes above and beyond the monetary benefits of combating the urban heat island effect. If you look out your condo or office window and see a vibrant colorful space, rather than a dark black roof, you’re changing a building from being in a Class A value category to a Class A+. You not only raise the value of the property you install a green roof on, but you’re increasing the value of the property that looks down on the space, as well as the neighborhood at large.

Green Roofs of Colorado Are the Experts in Beautifying Urban Spaces

As you look at your plans for landscaping and beautifying the outside areas of your property this summer, don’t forget about the outdoor architectural potential that is available for your roof and deck areas. Green Roofs of Colorado can help you design, build and maintain a unique and aesthetically pleasing green urban space that you can enjoy year-round. With years of experience in residential and commercial green space designs and installations, they are the number one resource in the Mile High City for adding eco-friendly color and functionality to your external urban elevated spaces. See some of their work here.

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Colfax holds a sweet spot in history for its famous Beatnik references. It’s where Kerouac’s On the Road begins. It’s also the old stomping grounds of the Beatnik’s home-grown poet, Neal Cassady who graduated at perhaps the crown jewel of Colfax Avenue, East High School. But Denver’s first high school has never had a pool.

The U.S. Mint and the State Capitol hold their positions on this famous strip of land where in 1875, Denver’s first high school was built. In 1925, the old building was demolished and a new one was relocated on East 1600 City Park Esplanade. East High was designed by the native architect George Hebard Williamson who was an 1893 graduate of East High. Williamson would crown the new building with its high clock tower modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia.   

Denver is Proud of East High

East High has hatched some great personalities along with Neal Cassady. People like the famous actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., singer Judy Collins, Don Cheadle, Pam Grier and another famous artist, Hattie McDaniel, America’s first black Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in the epic film, Gone with the Wind. Jazz sensation, Dianne Reeves, Olympic gold medalist Jerome Bliffle, Earth, Wind and Fire’s Philip Bailey, 1998 Suicide Kings director Peter O’Fallon and comedian T.J. Miller all share an alumnus at East High. These are just a few of the greats that have come out of this amazing high school.

Bestowed as one of America’s top high schools in 1957, it was again selected as one of America’s Top Ten Schools in 1968. Newsweek in 2008 would again recognize East High as one of the country’s Top High Schools.

This year’s East High School Graduation Class of 2014 will be graduating on May 29 releasing to the world perhaps one or two more names to the already honorable list. And still, the graduating class of 2014 went to East High with no swimming pool.

On March 5th this year the Parks and Recreation Department held the first of three public hearings to gather ideas for the planned Central Denver Recreation Center that will be located at 16th and Josephine Street. The two-story building, to be completed in 2015, will replace the city dog park. A major concern was parking. The solution? When responses favored a pool for the rec center, East High’s long awaited pool was negotiated by way of sharing its parking lot. Who knows, maybe the Class of 2019 will graduate a great swimmer.

Feel free to check out our posts on living in the Denver metro

And if you are thinking of moving, come talk to one of our neighborhood experts by calling 303-991-9878 or contacting us below.

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In today’s fast paced tech world we’re accustomed to things moving fast, but you might be surprised with the rapid approach of Google’s self-driving car. It’s not something in the far away future, like say, flying cars; rather, the Google self-driving car is something of today. So why don’t you own one? Well, it’s still in the works, bureaucratically.

Introduced in the 1980s, the idea of a self-driving car has been ongoing. Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Continental Automotive Systems, Autoliv Inc., Bosch, Nissan, Toyota, Audi, Volvo, Vislab from Parma, Oxford University and Google have all been working on the idea. But it’s Google who’s brought the technology furthest by way of its Google Map technology.

By using a $70,000 laser radar (LIDAR) system and a range finder mounted on the top of a Velodyne 64-beam laser, the combination allows the vehicle to generate a 3D map. The computer maneuvers the car through these high-resolution maps.

Most incredible is that after 300,000 miles of self-driving, there have only been two accidents—both were human error and not the fault of the Google car. In short, the Google self-driving car is a better driver. It will maintain the speed limit, keep a proper distance and react faster than a human should there be a possible accident.

So What’s the Problem?

Well, the technology is coming along. In many cases, it’s here. But what’s lacking are legislative laws for cars that have no human driver. After all, the traffic laws assume a human is operating the vehicle and ticket the driver of a vehicle, not the vehicle itself. So then, who would be at fault and pay the price for an accident when involving a Google car?  

Two states are braving the new frontier: California and Nevada. Nevada was the first state to legalize self-driving cars. But the laws still fall short for now. They still require a competent and legal driver behind the wheel at the ready to take over. But California has already proven the self-diving car’s worthiness. By way of YouTube a legally blind man named Steve Mahan is taken around by his self-driving Toyota Prius to pick up laundry from the dry cleaners, a drive-through restaurant and back home.

In August of 2013, a Robo-Taxi was revealed to the public. For now, legislative drag is holding the Google car fast, but imagine a future where you call your car to pick you up from the bar, when freight trucks drive all night without the dangers of a driver falling asleep at the wheel. Traffic jams would be lessened because Google cars drive the speed limits, don’t cut other cars off and road rage would be akin to the pose. So if sky is the limit, when will I get my jet pack?

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